No Plant Species Will Be Named for Me

I got an e-mail over the weekend from a guy who hopes the attempt to change Lower Macungie’s form of government will fail, and who pretty much hates me for disagreeing with him.

His first paragraph should give you a good sense of his tone:

He wrote, “I ask myself who the Hell are you and why should I even care what you write? Everything you write is just your interpretation and opinion anyway. After all you are just a simple columnist. You truly are nobody when you look at the big picture. Nothing will be written about you in the history books, you won't be remembered for anything of importance or any great value to society. You won't be remembered for any new drug or life saving medical device, you won't be remembered for any accomplishment in the fields of science, arts or music. You won't be remembered for building any library, bridge or for that matter even having a street named after you. You probably won't even be remembered for saving anyone's life. Your [sic] not really important at all.”

I imagine that this was intended to cut me to the quick, but I can’t disagree with a single thing he wrote in that paragraph.

I’m not creating great art or saving lives, although I occasionally do have the opportunity to help someone. I get paid to express my opinions, but they have no more value than anyone else’s. Mine just happen to be plastered on the front of the local section a few times a week.

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Actually, Bill, the writer and you both forget one of your invaluable contributions to American History - the Bill White Hall of Fame. Sure, it's not Caeser stuff, but should at least get you a footnote or something.

In the grand scheme of things, save for a very few people in this world, aren't we all rather unimportant?

Bill, by "simple columnist," did he mean you're merely a columnist, or that you are a simpleton?

Posted By: Susan | Nov 5, 2007 3:55:04 PM

Good point. My guess would be the latter.

Posted By: bill white | Nov 5, 2007 4:02:33 PM

dad, your facts are wrong, or at least spelled wrong. The correct terminology is "obvi."

Posted By: Kelsey | Nov 5, 2007 11:40:01 PM

what i find amusing is how this person is raving about how unimportant you are, yet you are the one getting your opinions published in a newspaper while he is the one who needs you to e-mail you just to get his opinions heard. as for everyone being unimportant, even those who contribute great things to society are mere dust specks when you consider things on the universal level.

Posted By: kevin | Nov 6, 2007 8:07:47 AM

The letter writer should indicate what his great value to society is or will be. What has he done to contribute to the welfare of his fellow human beings? Probably nothing but sit and complain. I think you perform a great service, Bill: you make us laugh, and in this day and age that is valuable indeed.

Posted By: Gwen | Nov 6, 2007 10:30:25 AM

Lower Macungie was destroyed a long time ago by The Tree-Killers. It had nothing to do with "form of government."

Construction is DEstruction.

Posted By: King Groundhog | Nov 6, 2007 10:38:34 PM

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